St Alban’s Roman Catholic High School in Pontypool, had reached out to the Operational Research (OR) Society for support in helping students explore career opportunities that use mathematics— the response was a hands-on, engaging success.
The Mathematical Modelling Team from Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB) volunteered to help after seeing the request on the OR Society’s ‘OR in Education – volunteer opportunities’ webpage. The team recently visited the school to introduce pupils to the exciting ways maths can be applied in real-world careers, especially in healthcare. The visit was part of a wider initiative by the OR society to spark interest in STEM subjects and show how mathematical thinking can lead to meaningful and impactful professions.
Supported by the OR Society, the team brought along interactive materials including LEGO bricks, to make the session both educational and fun. During the visit, staff explained their roles at ABUHB and how maths plays a vital part in their day-to-day work in healthcare.
The highlight of the session was a practical exercise where students took on the role of mathematicians advising a furniture company. Their challenge: determine the most profitable combination of chairs and tables that could be produced from a limited supply of resources. Using LEGO to model their solutions, the students enthusiastically tackled the problem and gained insight into optimisation and decision-making.
The visit was a fantastic example of collaboration between healthcare, education and industry, and a brilliant way to show young minds that maths is more than just numbers—it’s a gateway to solving real-world problems.
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ABUHB Mathematical Modelling Team: Dr Izabela Spernaes – Head of Mathematical Modelling, Jo Buchanan – Analytics & Modelling Capability Programme Manager, and Daniel Gartner – Professor of Operational Research